SA’S MOST TRUSTED MAKE-UP ARTISTS

We always see our favourite stars looking flawless at events and on magazine covers, but to get the perfect look takes an experienced and reliable professional.

We interviewed a few celebrity makeup experts to find out what it takes to make it in the industry.

NOMSA MADIDANomsa ‘Sasa’ is one of South Africa’s most loved and respected makeup artists. She’s definitely one of the best in the business and she has an impressive client base. Nomsa has worked on a number of our favourite TV shows, including Generations and Rhythm City.

WHAT MADE YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH MAKE-UP ARTISTRY AND HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY? Like most little girls, I was always into my mom's make-up growing up. I started job shadowing a make-up artist that was working at the SABC, one day she wasn’t available to do Rebecca Malope’s makeup and I had to fill in… let's just say the rest is history!

WHO WOULD YOU SAY ARE YOUR TOP CLIENTS THAT YOU PRIDE YOURSELF IN HAVING WORKED WITH?Definitely Thembisa Mdoda. She’s very loyal to me and I'm just as loyal to her. We always joke that one day when I have my make-up brand established, she'll be the face of it! Gail Mabalane is my other favourite, along with Kgomotso Christopher and Sindi Dlathu.

WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON MAKE-UP MISTAKE YOU SEE? Eyebrows that are too thick and dark is the most common make-up mistake I encounter. Another mistake often made is using a foundation shade that is lighter than your neck.

PLEASE SHARE A MAKEUP TIP WITH THE JET CLUB FAMILY. Always test your make-up on your cheek area and not the back of your hand as most people do. Reason being, the skin tone of your hand is not the same as your face.

NTHATO MASHISHINthato is a very well known celebrity stylist and make-up artist, behind some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry such as Oprah Winfrey, Basetsana Khumalo, Bonang Matheba and Pearl Thusi.

WHAT MADE YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH MAKEUP ARTISTRY AND HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY?What made me fall in love with make-up artistry is the love of art. Ever since I was very young growing up in Alexandra, Soweto, I started doing performance arts and painting but I gravitated mostly towards the art in beauty. After I finished my human resources degree I then enrolled for a make-up artistry diploma with Black Like Me Beauty Institution and then the rest is history.

WHO WOULD YOU SAY ARE YOUR TOP CLIENTS THAT YOU PRIDE YOURSELF IN HAVING WORKED WITH? My top clients are Bonnie Mbuli, Mama Letta Mbulu, Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke Logan) from The Bold & Beautiful, Mafikizolo, Pearl Thusi, Annika Rose from the movie Dreamgirls and many more.

A post shared by nthato (@nthatomashishi) on Sep 5, 2018 at 10:09pm PDT

WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON MAKEUP MISTAKE YOU SEE? My number one would be wrong foundation application and lack of taking care of your canvas, which is your skin. Also lack creativity from make-up artists –learning more and more is the ticket that will take you far in this profession.

PLEASE SHARE A MAKE-UP TIP WITH THE JET CLUB FAMILY. Always nourish your skin! Product knowledge is very important and less is definitely more. As a make-up artist remember to always learn and be the businessperson first, then an artist. That will give you longevity in this business.

AUDREY MOFOKENGAudrey ‘Drey’ is among the best in the business, she’s a genius with the make-up brush in her hands and has worked with the likes of Thando Thabethe, Boity and DJ Zinhle.

WHAT MADE YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH MAKEUP ARTISTRY AND HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY?I fell in love with make-up when I was about fifteen years old. My first client was my cousin who had horrible make-up done on her wedding that I had to fix. I didn't pursue make-up as a profession then, I instead went to Wits Business School to pursue marketing and later worked in corporate for about twenty years whilst doing make-up jobs in between. I started freelancing and working for production companies like Urban Brew, Red Pepper Productions and SABC from 2010 till 2013, and then I began freelancing permanently.

WHO WOULD YOU SAY ARE YOUR TOP CLIENTS THAT YOU PRIDE YOURSELF IN HAVING WORKED WITH? Companies that were and are still an absolute honour to work with are TLC, BBC, NBC and Global Citizen. Also individuals like our local celebrities DJ Zinhle (my best client, Thando Thabethe (also my best client), Boity, Nomzamo Mbatha, Minnie Dlamini, Thembi Seete, Anele Mdoda to mention a few.

A post shared by Audrey Mofokeng (@dreythemakeupartist) on May 12, 2017 at 11:00pm PDT

WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON MAKE-UP MISTAKE YOU SEE? The first problem I would say is poor blending of foundation and too much foundation applied. Then, secondly, eyeshadow colouring and shading is a common mistake I often see that most women make.

PLEASE SHARE A MAKE-UP TIP WITH THE JET CLUB FAMILY. Good skin equals good make up. Take care of your skin and it will take care of you. Do not sleep with make up on at all, your skin will break out. Moisturise and prime your face before applying make-up.

PRECIOUS XABAShe’s not just a make-up artist but a qualified health and skincare therapist as well. Precious Xaba has a passion for all things beautiful and loves creating new looks and experimenting with individual features.

WHAT MADE YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH MAKE-UP ARTISTRY AND HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY?I always had a passion for the beauty industry, I remember in high school I always liked to apply make-up on my friends. I was that person to always pop pimples, it’s disgusting but true. My mom advised me to study somatology (Somatology is defined as the study or science of the human body)and not law – I guess she saw something in me before I knew it. I studied somatology and the last year I studied make-up. I shadowed some of the top make-up artists at the time and I was a sponge, absorbing information and teachings and that gave me a kick start in the business.

WHO WOULD YOU SAY ARE YOUR TOP CLIENTS THAT YOU PRIDE YOURSELF IN HAVING WORKED WITH? I work with different ladies all the time and every client is special to me, but to just name a few celebrity clients would be Blue Mbombo, Connie Ferguson, Dineo Moeketsi, Bonang Matheba, Jessica Nkosi, Lorna Maseko, Yemi Alede from Nigeria, Vanessa Mdee from Tanzania.

A post shared by PreciousXABA (@preciousxabamakeup) on May 24, 2019 at 6:16am PDT

WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON MAKE-UP MISTAKE YOU SEE? The most common make-up mistake I see is too much make-up. People don’t know how to work with their features. The brows are heavy, the foundation is off and not balanced, and they often choose the wrong lipstick shade for their complexion.

PLEASE SHARE A MAKEUP TIP WITH THE JET CLUB FAMILY. Less is more when it comes to make-up. Always try to keep it classy. Please have a religious skincare routine. Make-up favours healthy skin. Get a lesson from a professional if you don’t know how to apply make-up.